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Camera technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a camera technician. Camera technicians usually study photography, electrical engineering, or communication. 50% of camera technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 491 real camera technician resumes to see exactly what camera technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for camera technicians are the Loyola Marymount University and the Loyola Marymount University.

There are also many online camera technician courses to help get the education required to be a camera technician.

What education do you need to become a camera technician?

What degree do you need to be a camera technician?

The most common degree for camera technicians is bachelor's degree, with 50% of camera technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 18%.
  • Bachelor's, 50%
  • Associate, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 18%
  • Master's, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a camera technician?

You should major in photography to become a camera technician. 21% of camera technicians major in photography. Other common majors for a camera technician include electrical engineering and communication.

Most common colleges for camera technicians

Camera technicians often get their degrees at Loyola Marymount University, Boston University, and New York University. Here are the most common colleges for camera technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Camera technician common collegePercentages
Loyola Marymount University9.52%
Boston University7.14%
New York University7.14%
DeVry University7.14%
University of Phoenix7.14%

Best majors for camera technicians

Best colleges for camera technicians

The best colleges for camera technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A camera technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for camera technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become camera technicians.

1. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$19,080

Enrollment

19,127

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Enrollment

4,169

10. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

20 best online courses for camera technicians

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1. Create a First-Person Camera (VM-Compatible!) in Unity

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4. Video Production Masterclass: Complete Video Camera Course

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7. Digital Photography for Beginners with DSLR cameras

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8. Beginner Digital Photography, How Do I Use My Camera?

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Learn how to use your camera intuitively without memorizing or taking notes...

9. Photography: 10 Top Tips - Be More Creative with Your Camera

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17. A Masterclass in Photography: Creative Camera Confidence

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18. Cinematography Course: Shoot Expert Video on Any Camera

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19. Complete Media Training Master Class - Confidence on Camera

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Top 10 most affordable universities for camera technicians

The most affordable schools for camera technicians are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and florida state university.

If the best universities for camera technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for camera technicians.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

9. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

10. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for camera technicians

The hardest universities for camera technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for camera technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for camera technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for camera technicians

The easiest schools for camera technicians to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and kean university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a camera technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for camera technicians.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

4. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

7. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

10. Suffolk University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

Average camera technician salary by education level

Camera technicians with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $51,009 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, camera technicians earn a median annual income of $46,439 compared to $44,543 for camera technicians with an High School Diploma degree.
Camera technician education levelCamera technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$44,543
Bachelor's Degree$46,439
Some College/ Associate Degree$51,009

Camera technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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